There's a first time...

...a first time for everything, and probably a last time too. Tonight was my first time trying night photography...in a serious way that is. I think night photography is fascinating, and you can get some terrific results. Not that I got many terrific photos tonight, but I was looking on this field trip as a learning experience, and it definitely was that. I was on a photo shoot with the Cleveland Photographic Society to the 48th (I think) floor of the Terminal Tower. We took two different elevators to reach the 44th floor and walked up four more floors to the outdoor observation deck. We went up before sunset and stayed until well after dark. The Tower is an historic landmark located in downtown Cleveland with a great view of Lake Erie. Actually you can walk all the way around the observation deck for a 360 degree view of the city.

So what made it a learning experience? Well, I learned several things:

1) I learned I like night photography. However...
2) I learned I won't be doing it from the top of Terminal Tower.
3) High places are a problem for me.
4) I had forgotten that I got lightheaded on Pikes Peak.
5) ...and disoriented! Hmmm, should have remembered that!

For a while I got along fine on the top of the Tower (despite the hundreds of large spiders that apparently find it a hospitable habitat), and I enjoyed the view, but as soon as darkness descended and the multicolored lights came on that illuminate the top of the tower, I had my Pike's Peak experience all over again.

I also learned that...

6) equipment malfunctions DO happen when I had a problem with my (brand new) tripod, but some wonderful people tried to help me fix it, and when that didn't happen, one of the leaders loaned her tripod to me.

So...as I said, I really did learn a lot, and it wasn't all about photography. The best part of the experience was meeting some new people and finding out how great people can be.